Released on bail in bribery case, engineer ends life

A 27-year-old engineer who was released on bail in a bribery case, committed suicide by setting himself on fire at Vangimalu village of Chintamani taluk on Tuesday night.

The deceased has been identified as Srinath Reddy, who was working as a junior engineer on contract basis under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Police said that he was arrested on the charge of receiving bribe during a Lokayukta raid in January 2017. He was released bail recently and was staying at his sister's house in Bengaluru.

On Tuesday night, Reddy immolated self by dousing himself with petrol. In a purported death note left by him, Srinath has stated that he had not received bribe from anyone and had been booked for the offence committed by the panchayat development officer. The mother of Reddy has lodged a complaint.

Family members said that Reddy may have been embarrassed by his arrest and hence ended his life.